Powdery Mildew?

[buggedcom]

More leaf problems, this time on my Naga Jolokia.

The plant generally is doing fine and budding nicely, however the new growth leaves at the top of the plant have a strange mottled appearance and have a crystaline substance, looking a bit like sugar, on the top and bottom of the leaves.

I've looked on the chileman guide to diseases and the closest things I can find are mites or powdery mildew. However I don't think it's mites. I went and brought a magnifying glass to check over the leaves. No movement on any of the affected leaves.

Any ideas or confirmation that this is powdery mildew?

 

[buggedcom]

I forgot to mention that the substance comes of when rubbed and I have not been spraying the leaves with anything.

 

[Biscombe]

Not convinced it's PM but chive tea works well to slow it down, very hard to get rid of without the use of chemicals.......

 

[lee]

looks more like oedema

 

[buggedcom]

You mean the one where the plant is absorbing too much water? Would that result in crystals on the leaf? I though that just made raised bumps?

 

[POTAWIE]

Ya, I say oedema. Powdery mildew would look like someone sprayed talcum powder all over the leaves

 

[lee]

You mean the one where the plant is absorbing too much water? Would that result in crystals on the leaf? I though that just made raised bumps?

Yeah, took this pic 10-2008

 

[Pepperfreak]

I agree with Potawie, my plants last year also had that powdery substance on them. For me, it didn't seem anything to be alarmed with, just water less. I think that the powdery substance is a pre curser to the 'pimples'. It is kind of like when you sweat, once it dries you will have a thin layer of salt, amoung other things, build up on you skin. Well, plants are the same way, when they get to much water, they perspire. If they continue to get too much water and can not perspire all of it away, they will get the 'pimples'. BTW, 'pimples' is my term